morning

our house is glorious. I believe it faces east since the morning sun
comes onto the front porch nicely and intensely. there are flowers
growing and a nice amount of greenage about the yard. there is a stone
driveway leading up to the house. a large, brick fence surrounds the
property and is protected by a large double-doored gate. we drive to
the gate, honk and honk and give a few more honks and then our "guard"
comes to open it for us. this, of course, is not uncommon in Ethiopia.
for those who are fairly well off, many common jobs are done by
various employed people.
we have several others living in the back of the yard. there is a man
who is the "guard" and gate keeper. he lives in the small, green shack
up front. he is an amazing gardener and is responsible for all that is
growing along the edges of the property- as well as his wall of potted
plants to the side of the house. truly gorgeous. there is a wombyn who
does laundry and helps in the kitchen. they both watch over things.
there is a young bwoi who is sweet and wide-eyed. there are a few cats
at the least. one or both consistently howl. actually it's more like a
yowl. literally. there is a sweet and shaggy multi-colored dog and a
rooster tied to a bucket in the open-air kitchen out back.
the wombyn helped me with the funky lil' stove this morning when it
wouldn't start. she hauled in her propane tank and a two burner stove.
her pleasant smile, sweet demeanor and kindness are apparent. sean
commented on her stylie shoes this morning as we looked out the
kitchen window. purple and neon orange sneakers. stylie. we originally
met through the window. sharing glances and smiling at eachother.
giving polite nods of recognition. now that we've spoken and she's
helped me hang my laundry on the line, I'd venture to guess we're
practically friends.
I needed this morning. I awoke and meditated. the house still silent
except for the family out back (already dealing with the day to day.)
I then started the tea. cut a pineapple. ate some trailmix. looked at
the amheric dictionary a bit. came to my room for some yoga. I then
head to my bathroom, singing my morning songs, enjoying the acoustics
and sound of a tiled room. a cooling fresh later, I attempt to grab my
things from the line out back. as I approach the kitchen, headed for
the back door, I see the family gathered around the sink out back. the
man, holding a bloody knife, the wombyn holding a rooster head. I see
rusty colored feathers. the rooster. has passed. they are all eagerly
watching this occasion. ceremonial in it's own right. though it
shocked me with fervor as I witnessed it's brutality. the radio then
starts playing. I hear the wombyn start to sing. this is their yagya
and celebration for the rooster. his life and their lives. food.
essential for life and living.
I did just check my laundry after all. it is almost dry!! I am
overjoyed to think that I'll be wearing clean clothes today. finally.
….the rooster is cooking. the smells are admittedly enticing.
we had hoped to head to shashamane today. once ahmed returned from the
café and picked up our range rover and driver. (shashe is more roots
vibes for the millennium celebrations.) however, once uncle rashad
confirmed that the main roads to addis will be closed to all, we
thought it better to stay in the city. the boujie plans were held at
the sheratin here in addis (the likes of beyonce and black-eyed peas
appear on the line up.) there is more to say about that since the
millennium has become a controversial subject here in Ethiopia. many
events are being funding by Allamude, an extremely wealthy Ethiopian
man (in fact, one of the wealthiest men in the world) who's made his
money in Saudi oil and consistently monopolizes many runnings around
here. he seems to have a senseless take on wealth, abundance, and what
one does in poverty torn regions when one has so much money. one of
these blunders is the giant millennium building which is going up on
bole near the airport. big concerts will take place there and then the
building will be taken down. right next to this atrocity are shanty
towns, street beggers and the like. incongruous. thoughtless.
we did not participate in that. we headed out to a traditional
Ethiopian dinner after and afternoon on Toto mountain visiting king
Menelek II's palace and a Coptic orthodox church. the restaurant was
tantalizing in flavor, aroma, sight and sound. the frankincense was
burning. fresh cut grass laying covering the floor. traditional basket
table and stools. small cups with buna (coffee.) four musicians.
multiple dancers. the vibes were high. fatoom and tamaskin (ahmed's
right hand bwois and crucial connections) met us there and brought a
bwoi from Manchester that they'd met on the street. jahvin's dad lives
in shashemane and just happen to be the Teddy Dan! we were all a
little blown away by that……
we trekked over to Meskal Square for the free millennium celebration
at the stadium. we knew Teddy Afro was supposed to play at somepoint.
Teddy Afro is loved by all. he speaks for the common Ethiopian. turned
down several million dollars, offered to him by Allamude, to play at
the Sheratin. (instead, playing a free show at the stadium for all
people.) sings in traditional Amhrnga and represents the Abisha vibes.
chants down the current government (thereby getting banned from
playing in Addis and other places.) he is big stuff…..
we frinng (foreigners/whities) walked into the heavily guarded stadium
like we owned the place. it was ridiculous, but got worse. we went to
two entrances and got turned away. it was full. the third entrance,
however appeared to be a back door entrance. we knocked. the guards
saw five frinng. though we had ahmed and fatoom as well. we pushed
through, selectively placing ahmed and fatoom in between the whities.
no problem. we pushed our way to the front of another gate. through
two more. the third section brought cheering, shouting and hollering.
the entire stadium caught it. they were chanting for us. the bwois ate
it up. I didn't know how to handle it. it was so intense. hundreds of
people staring at you. at the frinng. yelling. watching. the reality
surrounding this event, the prejudice that I have experienced first
hand, the behavior of Ethiopians towards frinng, and frinng status, is
overwhelming to me. I need to piece it togther…..
teddy, the crowd, the dancing, the dance lessons from fatoom, the
vibes, all amazing. beyond the beyond…..